The wrist is a delicate instrument that is readily injured. For example, in softball or baseball the wrist is easily bruised or even broken by a sharp grounder taking a bad hop and striking the inside of the wrist. The inside of the wrist typically lies exposed, unprotected by a glove.
The prior art includes the Gould U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,127 which discloses a baseball protection device having a pad of pliable, shock-absorbent material and a sheet of hard, semirigid material, such as acetate plastic, superimposed on the pad. The pad and sheet are encased in a durable material such as leather or rawhide. The pad and sheet are secured to the wrist with a stretchable fabric, such as a blended fabric of elastic and perspiration-absorbing terry cloth, which is sewn to the outermost side edges of the pad and sheet.
The Campana U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,378 discloses a protective wrist band which particularly relates to protecting a mechanic's wrist. The wristband includes an inner layer of porous, absorbent fabric material and a thicker shock-absorbing layer of a resilient, fluid-impervious, rubber-like closed cell material. The wrist band is secured above the wrist utilizing hook-and-loop fastening systems.
The Klose U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,408 discloses a wristlet and web protector with an athletic item engaging pad. The pad is secured to and within the area of the palm portion of a hand for engaging a bowling ball, golf club and the like.
The prior art also includes commercially available wrist protectors such as the HOT SHOT.TM. available from Mizuno marketed under U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,127.